Pharmacognostic standardization and evaluation of antiulcer potential of Olax psittacorum leaf extract

The modern medicine has received many plants as a gift from ethnobotany. It is an efficient method of discovering new medicines. The leaves of Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. were extracted with ethanol, and the phytoconstituents present in the leaf extract were identified using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis (GC-MS), followed by determination of physico-chemical parameters and anti-ulcer properties. The leaf ethanolic extract (LEE) yield was observed to be 43.2%. The quantitative surface microscopy analysis revealed a stomatal index of 30 and 22 epidermal cells and qualitatively confirms presence of quinone, flavonoid, phenol, carbohydrate, tannin, saponin and absence of alkaloids using various screening techniques. The LEE confirms its anti-ulcer potency by inhibiting ulceration by 58% and 75% respectively, thus proving the hypothesis. These identified parameters may be helpful in developing some botanical standards for the standardisation and identification of O. psittacorum leaves with anti-ulcer properties.

Comparative evaluation of anti-inflammatory activity between n-butanol fraction, leaf and stem methanolic extract obtained from Olaxpsittacorum

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. traditionally used by the tribal communities of 'INDIA' to heal conditions such as pain, psoriasis, mouthulcer, anemia, constipation as well as diabetes followed by scientific evidences like antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-viral, and anti-cancer property too.

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

Solvent fractionation process by using chloroform, distilled water and n-butanol has been developed to get the precipitate as a fraction (encrypted as FrAE-ISO) of leaf methanolic extract (LME) and established GC-MS and antiinflammatory evaluation. The aim was to enumerate the potency against inflammation of FrAE-ISO comparing with LME, SME (Stem methanolic extract) and Diclofenac. TLC of LME extract has been developed too for separation & evaluation of the compounds appeared as bands obtained by scraping process. The motive of the experiment was to acquire an isolate from LME that can able to show an emense anti-inflammatory action compared to LME and SME.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Priliminary phytochemical screening upon LME, SME and FrAE-ISO preformed by the standard methods of literatures. Scrapped portions of developed TLC plate (G-254 graded silica) of LME (n-Hexane:Ethylacetate; 7.5:2.5) were introduced to GC-MS evaluation. FrAE-ISO has introduced at a minute quantity (5 and 10 mg/kg/bw) within Wister albino rats (per os) against inflammation (model: carrageenan-induced paw edema) to evaluate its potency as compared to LME (25 mg/kg/bw), SME (25 mg/kg/bw) and Diclofenac (100 mg/kg). GC-MS evaluation has been conducted in both FrAE-ISO and scrapped sections to evaluate the presence of compounds qualitatively.

RESULTS

LME and SME, qualitatively through different screening processes confirm the presence of glycosides, flavonoids, amino acids, tannins, and saponins respectively. According to the quantitative study of the extracts concerning total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, and saponin content equivalent to gallic acid, quercetin, tannic acid, and diosgenin respectively have shown less amount of phenolic, flavonoid, and saponin content in SME (30.95, 205.33 and 30.82 mg/g extract respectively) as compared to LME (95.68, 713.33 and 66.41 mg/g extract respectively). Quantitative estimation has shown the presence of 825.27 mg of saponin equivalent to diosgenin per gram of FrAE-ISO. The GC-MS study has revealed that every section of the leaf extract has " Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester " in common with other important compounds responsible for its potent contribution towards the anti-inflammatory property. The scrapped portions of the TLC plate having mixture of compounds but FrAE-ISO has shown a sharp peak in GC-MS (up to 34 min of run time) as well as few crystals like structures under the binocular microscope. Compact doses of FrAEISO (yield = 1.645%) i.e. 5 and 10 mg/kg body weight was able to compete with 100 mg/kg Diclofenac portraying 88%-95% inhibition respectively throughout all phases of inflammation with no-significant differences compared to standard evaluated by ANOVA (in SPSS).

CONCLUSION

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl. could be a good choice to explore its importance within the pharmacognostic field of drug development and might be a better source of herbal-derived lead compounds which can help to treat other various activities like ulcer healing or anti-anemic property etc.

Heliconia rostrata rhizomes mitigate chemical-induced liver injury by debilitating oxidative stress in HepG2 cells and rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Heliconia rostrata Ruiz and Pav. belongs to the family Heliconiaceae. Plant was traditionally used to cure jaundice, intestinal pain, diabetes and hypertension.

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

Present study evaluated hepatoprotective efficacy of ethanol (REE) and methanol (RME) extracts of H. rostrata rhizomes in HepG2 cell lines and rats. Antioxidant efficacy of extracts was determined using ex vivo and in vivo methods.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Before conducting efficacy studies, safety of REE and RME was established using toxicity studies which included Oral acute-fixed dose toxicity using OECD TG420, 28-days repeated dose oral toxicity by OECD TG407 and cytotoxicity studies by brine shrimp lethality (BSL) bioassay and MTT assay taking HepG2 cell line. Ex vivo (Extracts: 0-250 μg/ml) and in vivo (Extracts: 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) antioxidant studies were performed on fresh goat liver and rats (N = 45) of either sex, respectively. In vitro hepatoprotective efficacy of extracts was evaluated against ethanol induced toxicity in HepG2 cell line. In vivo study was performed at 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day doses in rats by CCl₄-induced hepatotoxicity study.

RESULTS

No mortality was observed during single and repeated dose toxicity studies. 50% lethal dose >2000 mg/kg, confirmed category 5 toxicity level of extracts, according to Globally Harmonized System. No signs of toxicity and treatment or dose related changes recorded in rats under repeated dose toxicity study. No-observed-adverse effect-level of 200 mg/kg/day was observed for both extracts. Median lethal concentration of REE and RME were 1291.30 and 1045.89 μg/ml, respectively in BSL bioassay and 50% cytotoxicity concentration >1000 μg/ml was obtained for both extracts from MTT assay. Calculated 50% inhibitory concentration and median effective dose of extracts obtained from different antioxidant assays in ex vivo and in vivo antioxidant studies, respectively indicated REE has more antioxidant efficacy than RME. In in vitro hepatoprotective efficacy study, extracts demonstrated dose dependent protection against ethanol induced hepatotoxicity. At 400 μg/ml, REE and RME demonstrated percentage protection of 65.53% and 57.98%, respectively. Results of liver function test and histopathological evaluation of liver in in vivo hepatoprotective study confirmed dose dependent protection provided by the extracts against CCl₄ -induced hepatotoxicity.

CONCLUSION

Both REE and RME were found safe to be considered for therapeutic uses. Both REE and RME were found to exhibit antioxidant efficacy in ex vivo and in vivo models. Results ascertained that H. rostrata rhizomes possess significant hepatoprotective potency.

Evaluation of anti-inflammatory, analgesic and TNF-α inhibition (upon RAW 264.7 cell line) followed by the selection of extract (leaf and stem) with respect to potency to introduce anti-oral-ulcer model obtained from Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl in addition to GC-MS illustration

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Olax psittacorum (Lam.) Vahl., belongs to family olacaceae claimed as an "Issan folk medicine" portray the ethnomedicinal value like curative property of infection in the urinary tract, analgesic, antipyretic, skin-ulcer, antianemic (bark) as well as food additives (leaves). Research articles have proven the presence of anti-swelling property, laxative action, and antiviral activity against poliovirus moreover, the antioxidant property too.

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT

Evaluation of antiulcer property (induced within the oral mucosa) of the extract selected amongst two extracts based upon better property towards the ability of anti-inflammatory and analgesia through the in-vivo model as well as the inhibitory property of TNF-α (cell line RAW264.7). To justify the presence of activity extracts were introduced for GC-MS investigation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Methanolic extracts (leaf; LME and stem; SME) were collected through maceration and introduced to carrageenan-induced paw edema to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and formalin-induced as well as tail-flick in-vivo models to evaluate the analgesic property. Anti-oral ulcer property was analyzed through the acetic-acid induced in-vivo model. The cytotoxicity was performed on mouse macrophages and fibroblast cells to find a toxic concentration of test substances and to evaluate their modulatory effect of TNF-α inhibition property against LPS induced toxicity.

RESULTS

As compared to diclofenac (100 mg/kg) only LME and SME 200 mg/kg dose group have insignificant (P < 0.05) difference and P-values are 0.99 and 0.88 respectively. From the overall outcome, it can be concluded that compared to the diclofenac (100 mg/kg) group from 4th hours onwards LME (200 mg/kg) group was able to sustain the inflammation so similar. According to statistical consideration, LME (200 mg/kg) dose has also shown better results in formalin-induced analgesia as well as tail-flick. Cytotoxicity (CTC₅₀) concentrations of LME and SME are 419.60 ± 4.09 and 230.21 ± 0.79 μg/ml respectively on RAW264.7 cell line. According to CTC₅₀ the highest concentration of LME and SME is 400 and 200 μg/ml respectively has chosen to evaluate percentage inhibition of TNF-α as compared to diclofenac sodium (25 μg/ml). 50% inhibition was achieved by LME as well as diclofenac i.e. 51.2 ± 2.6% and 50.3 ± 0.8% instead of SME i.e. 45.2 ± 1.7%. As compared to the negative group on DAY-4, LME 200 mg/kg/bw dose shown proper growth of epithelial or mucosal layer which reveals proper healing of the surface of the tongue with no sign of injury. GC-MS results also reveal that, LME and SME both have Cyclohexasiloxane, dodecamethyl; Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester which are responsible for anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity but besides, LME has more 4 compounds responsible for activities these are methyl salicylate; phytol; β-Sitosterol; 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid,2,3-bis[(trimethylsilyl)oxy]propyl ester, (Z, Z, Z).

CONCLUSION

The overall outcomes of the study encapsulate that LME extract with a dose of 200 mg/kg/bw will be a good choice to overcome the above-cited ailments. Further studies upon this plant are needed to establish its importance in the human society through quantitative isolation of the metabolites and their pharmacokinetic as well as pharmacodynamic evaluation to establish the proper pathway of action.

Spinal epidural hematoma without lesion of the spine. Report of 4 cases

The authors report 4 cases of spinal epidural hematoma without a lesion of the spine. The medical literature relating to this subject is reviewed with special reference to the pathophysiology of the bleeding. There are arguments in favor of the venous origin as well the arterial origin of the bleeding. As far as recovery following surgical treatment is concerned, the history of our cases confirms the opinion that the prognosis depends on two factors: the delay between onset of symptoms and operation and the severity of the neurological deficit.